h."

"Holy cats! what a name!" muttered Browning, while Rattleton grinned
despite his sickness.

"I--I'm taking a sea voyage--for--for my health," explained Mr. Slush.
"That's why I didn't go over on a--a regular liner. This way I shall be
longer at--at sea. See?"

"And you are keeping us at sea by your lingering way in coming to a
point," smiled Merry.

"Eh?" said the little man. Then he seemed to comprehend, and he broke
into a sudden cackle of laughter, which he shut off with startling
suddenness, looking frightened.

"Beg your pardon!" he exclaimed. "Quite--ah--rude of me. I don't do
it--often."

"You look as if it wouldn't hurt you to do it oftener," said Merry,
frankly. "Laughter never hurt anyone."

"I--I can't quite agree with--you, sir. I beg your pardon! No offense!
I--I don't wish to be offensive--you understand. I once knew a man who
died from--er--laughing. It is a fact, sir. He laughed so long--and so
hard---that he--he lost his breath--entirely. Never got it back again.
Since then I've been very--cautious. It's a bad sign to laugh--too
hard."

Merry felt like shouting, but Jack was looking puzzled and dazed.
Diamond could not comprehend the little man, and he failed to catch the
humor of the character.

"Now," said Mr. Slush, "I will come directly to the--point."

"Do," nodded Frank.

"I just saw a--er--person leave this room. I wish to know if--Good
gracious, sir! Do you know that is a bad sign!"

He pointed a wavering finger at Frank.

"What is a bad sign?" asked Merry, surprised.

"To wear a--a dagger pin thrust through a--a tie in which there is the
least bit of--red. It is a sign of--of bloodshed. I--I beg you to remove
that--that pin from that scarf!"

The little man seemed greatly agitated.

After a moment of hesitation, Frank laughed lightly and took the pin
from the scarf.

Immediately the visitor seemed to breathe more freely.

"Ah--er--thank you!" he said. "I--I've seen omens enough. Everything
seems to point to--to a--tragedy. I regret exceedingly that I ever
sailed--on this steamer. I--I shall be thankful when I put my feet on
dry land--if I ever do again."

"You must be rather superstitious," suggested Frank.

"Not at all--that is, not to any extent," Mr. Slush hastened to aver.
"There are a few signs--and omens--which I know--will come true."

"Indeed!"

"Yes, sir!" asserted the little man, with surprising positiveness. "I
know something will happen--to this b